March 5, 2015

Adar 14, 5775

Don't Forget to Spring

Forward!

70th Anniversary Concert Update

William Close & The Earth Harp Collective

Are Coming Soon!

March 15 at The Forum Auditorium

Purchase Tickets Now! Click Here

Ushers Needed

Silver Academy Alumni and Parents, we are in need of concert ushers. Please consider volunteering! Interested? Contact Ann Rosenberg at roseyae@verizon.net

Click Here to Learn About William Close and

This Unique Musical Experience

Good Things Happen Every Week

at The Silver Academy

Rachel Zilbering

Assistant Principal

This week has been a particularly crazy weather week, especially this late into winter. I want to personally thank the teachers, staff and parents for your ongoing patience and flexibility!

This week, many of the activities centered around the holiday of Purim. The Kindergarten class presented a play to the turning-four class of the ELC. The Judaics classes have been learning all about the holiday, which Morah Alla describes below. Students in different grades have baked hamentashen. The entire school has been participating in a fundraiser for Relay for Life which is an important tzedakah project. Weather permitting, students went to a megillah reading and had a great time at the Purim seudah. All in all, it's been a great week!

In the midst of the snow cancellations, I was able to try a new hamesntashen recipe at home which I will share below. It's definitely for the sweet-tooth in us, but it was delicious!

Chag Purim Sameach!

Candy Lover's Hamentashen Recipe

D'var Torah

Nachum Chasan, Head of School

nchasan@silveracademypa.org

זכור את יום השבת לקדשו

CANDLE LIGHTING - 5:44 PM

HAVDALAH - 6:47 PM

SHABBAT PARSHAT KI TISA - EXODUS 30:11 - 34:35

סיכום - Summary

G-d instructs Moses to collect a half-shekel from every person over the age of twenty when he takes a census (כי תשא) of the Israelites.
Moses is told that the sanctuary's furnishings are to be fashioned by the skilled artisan Bezalel.
Moses reminds the Israelites that in observing the Sabbath they celebrate the covenant between themselves and G-d.
Moses is given the two tablets on Mount Sinai. Forty days have passed, and the Israelites have asked Aaron to make a golden calf (עגל הזהב).
When Moses sees the golden calf, he shatters the tablets.
G-d directs Moses to carve two new tablets and return to Mount Sinai.
After the second forty days Moses returns to the people, radiant from speaking to G-d.

HEBREW WORDS OF THE WEEK

כי תשא -- Ki Tissa - Census or head count

עגל הזהב -- Agell Ha Zahav - The Golden Calf

SHABBAT SHALOM שבת שלום -

Nachum Chasan

Head of School

Inside the Classroom

Kindergarten General Studies

Ms. Alison Brandecker

If you ask a kindergartener what they have learned in school this year, they will certainly say that they have learned to read! The students have accomplished reading short books independently and are now working to develop reading skills such as making predictions and analyzing a story. Our class has also buddied with third grade students for Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss's birthday. These were wonderful sharing experiences!

Along with reading, the students' written vocabulary has grown. They are now writing sentences with describing words and more detail. Be sure to have your child show you his/her new skills at home.

In math, Kindergarten has mastered reading, writing, and counting the numbers from zero to thirty! We will soon learn about a fan-favorite topic...counting, sorting and identifying the value of money! Along with money, they will be learning to measure and tell time.

Just in time for spring, we will be getting an addition to the classroom for a mini science unit...butterflies! Kindergarten students will learn about the life cycle of a butterfly as they observe the change from egg to adult. Once the transformation is complete, we will release the beautiful butterflies to live outside.

1st Grade Judaics

Morah Aviva Woodland

Last week Kitah Alef learned the Hebrew letter Tet and read "Oh, Oh, HaToast". They made toast tzahov with HaTabach Tov (the good chef.) Fortunately, our toast turned out much better than in the story. Just ask a student in Kitah Alef and they'll tell you!

5th-8th Grades Go to Philadelphia

Mr. Nachum Chasan

Last Thursday, our 5th through 8th grades went on a field trip to Philadelphia. They visited the Franklin Institute where they explored the museum and observed the special exhibit Body Worlds- Animal Inside Out. The visit to the Institute culminated with a viewing of National Geographic's film, Jerusalem, in the IMAX Theater.

The students then traveled to the National Constitution Center where they saw Freedom Rising - A 360 degree theatrical production that illuminates the story of the U.S. Constitution. The trip ended with a delicious Israeli dinner at the Hamifgash Restaurant. Special thanks to Saul Ewing and Joel Burcat for helping to underwrite the cost of the trip.

7th-8th Grade Trip to Israel

This spring our 7th and 8th grade classes will travel to Israel!

(They are so excited!) Please consider helping us fund our trip by participating in one or more of these fundraisers.

Buy a Chai note for $18 and we will hand deliver your prayers to the Western Wall in Israel. Click here to download your Chai note

Online Donation Fund - Please consider donating to help defray the cost of $4,000 per student. Click Here to Donate

School Notes and Reminders

PTO Sponsored Purim Seudah

Thursday, March 5, 4:30 pm

In the Mary Sachs Auditorium

Join us for fun, food and celebration...featuring food from Dougie's of Baltimore! There will be face painting and children's entertainment. The cost is $15 per adult, $6 per child, maximum $45 per family. Please send payment into the Silver Academy office and RSVP to silveralerts@silveracademypa.org by Friday, February 27th.